Mary Charteris

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While most fashion aficionados only dream about being a muse, our July Girl of the Month, Mary Charteris, received this illustrious bestowment--courtesy of the legendary style icon Isabella Blow--when she was she was merely a teenager. But of course, that's not the only reason we're enamored with the 23-year-old Londoner! In addition to being close to the late Blow, this British stunner also happens to be the niece of another fashion heavyweight, Daphne Guinness. Plus she has a slew of industry-insider friends (including Poppy Delevingne), a quickly escalating modeling career (she recently posed for Louis Vuitton's S/S 11 jewelry campaign), and an incredible repertoire of ensembles! All in all, we're totally smitten with Charteris' spunky and individualistic sensibilities, and are quite certain you will be too!

One thing that we love about Charteris is how she injects her youthful, spirited energy into every ensemble. Never one to don an expected, traditional look, she clearly has fun with fashion and fearlessly experiments with clothes and accessories. Case in point: the outfit she wore to the Matthew Williamson F/W 11 show in London earlier this year. We appreciate the way she broke up the girliness of said designer's tan leather jacket and her vintage Yves Saint Laurent blouse by adding black Topshop trousers and Kurt Geiger velvet boots (top right). And in true Charteris fashion, she also added a quirky element: a Hannah Havana handbag in the shape of a hamburger! That same chic spirit was on display in March, when Charteris attended a London dinner celebrating the launch of Georgia May Jagger's collection for Hudson. For the event, she selected a vintage t-shirt, embroidered Christian Lacroix bed jacket, and a yellow geometric-print Givenchy skirt--covetable pieces borrowed from her aforementioned, famously fashionable aunt (far left). The bold mix of patterns adds up to one seriously cool ensemble!

Yet another reason to adore Charteris is her creative outerwear choices for after-dark fetes. When it comes to party dressing, not many of us would think to reach for a varsity jacket, but the blond beauty definitely pulled it off when she attended the launch of Lacoste L!ve in London a few months ago (right, bottom). She rocked a vintage top, leather shorts by The Ragged Priest, Chloe Sevigny for Opening Ceremony boots, Mulberry's Tillie Bag ($1250, available here in Deer Brown), and added a vintage letterman jacket to keep warm. She opted for another interesting outerwear option this past May, when she attended the London launch of India: The Luxury Collection Destination Guide wearing a vintage lemon-colored oversized jacket with black pinstripe detailing. Charteris incorporated a variety of prints and textures into this outfit by pairing the jacket with a skull-emblazoned vintage t-shirt, Sass & Bide jeans, Jeffrey Campbell's Lita Platform Boots ($160) in Pewter Glitter, and the same Hannah Havana hamburger handbag. The mix of skulls, stripes, and sparkles is decidedly high-impact and truly unique!

If you're as intrigued by our GOTM as we are, you're in luck because we've compiled a list of pieces that perfectly embody her eclectic sensibilities! From a pair of leopard-print skinny jeans to leather wedges, we think all of these items have a Charteris-worthy cachet and hope you love them as much as we do!

Forever 21 Embroidered Sheer Cardigan ($25, 714.635.7200)
We can always rely on Forever 21 to provide us with affordable-yet-chic pieces that can easily go with anything in our wardrobes. Case in point: this sheer cardigan, which reminds us of the Christian Lacroix iteration that Charteris paired with a yellow mini skirt back in March. Follow her lead and try this with a graphic tee, printed skirt, and biker boots for the ultimate cool-girl look!

Urban Outfitters Rolling Stones Speckled Distressed Tee ($42)
Our GOTM loves a graphic tee, so we couldn't resist including this fabulous one from Urban Outfitters. Depicting the Rolling Stones' famous logo and boasting a worn-in, vintage look, this shirt has a rocker vibe we think Charteris would definitely approve of. Take a cue from our GOTM and pair it with a colorful jacket or printed cardigan for a spot-on outfit!

Mulberry Small Polly Push Lock ($1050) in Pumpkin Shiny Grain
Since our GOTM is a fan of Mulberry--she carried the covetable Tillie satchel at the aforementioned Lacoste event--we wanted to bring you another chic option by the beloved British label. We adore this new-for-fall bag because it has an adorable boxy silhouette, envelope flap closure, and fantastic pumpkin color, all of which are reasons to snag this purse before it sells out!

Camilla Skovgaard Peep Toe Strap Wedges ($525, 301.897.2186) in Black
When it comes to footwear, our GOTM tends to forgo dainty, feminine pumps in favor of rough-and-tumble leather boots or standout metallic platforms. That said, we think these bootie/wedge hybrids by Camilla Skovgaard would fit her style perfectly. Not only do they share her tough-girl sensibility without being overtly masculine, but they also would look stellar paired with anything from pants to miniskirts!

Current/Elliott The Stiletto Skinny Jeans ($198) in Grey Leopard
If you're searching for a new pair of skinnies to add to your wardrobe, look no further than Current/Elliott! The brand consistently produces the most covetable denim pieces, and the Stiletto Skinny Jeans are no exception. In addition to the muted leopard print, which will instantly energize your ensemble, we also like the fact that they can easily be styled to suit a number of occasions. Dress them up with heels and a blazer for a girls' night out, or wear them casually with a t-shirt and sneakers for the weekend.

Karen Walker Von Trapp Sunglasses ($210) in Shiny Gold
Always one to experiment with style, we think Charteris would enjoy trying these oversized, John Lennon-esque sunglasses. We love the retro design and metal frames on these perfectly round shades, and think they are investment-worthy indeed!

Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour ($25) in Graphite
There's something about a Chanel nail polish that can instantly enliven our moods, and this new Graphite color is our latest obsession! We think the opaque, metallic hue would be a perfect complement to Charteris' spunky ensembles (or any outfit, for that matter). Notice how the shimmering shade is the same color as her Jeffrey Campbell boots? No wonder we think it's a match made in heaven!

Pixie Market Mustard Shift Dress ($54)
Since Charteris loves to add a pop of yellow to her ensembles, we knew we had to find a fantastic option in a similar sunny shade for today's story. Happily, when we came across this dress by Pixie Market, we knew our search was over. Thanks to its Peter-Pan collar and '60s mod-inspired silhouette, it has a playful-yet-hip vibe that our GOTM would absolutely appreciate. Take a page from her style book and team this shift with black boots to ensure that your look isn't too sweet and feminine!--Erin Fitzpatrick